This morning the Chronicle of Higher Ed ran this article about how a faculty member’s office should be furnished. Now I will be the first to tell you that in my current position I am very fortunate to have a gorgeous and large office (necessary for all the meetings and outreach that I do). But for the first 7 years of my faculty career I had a rather narrow 14′ wide office space. What I found most amusing about this story was the following paragraph.
Probably the most important fixture in the office is the ergonomic desk chair. I spend several hours a week in my office. During the vast majority of them, my butt is planted in that chair, whether conferencing with students, prepping for class, or grading papers. The ergonomic chair has been very helpful in lessening lower-back strain.
“Several hours a week in my office”?! Really? Even when I wasn’t a full time administrator I spend 30+ hours a week in my office (that is leaving aside the time spent lecturing and walking around). Today I spend over 40 hours a week in my office and much of it with my butt planted in my desk chair. But just “several hours a week”? Wow.
Ok, so the question to you my fellow faculty friends (and non-faculty), how many hours a week do you spend sitting at your desk in your office/cubicle/workspace?
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